Soccer

3:55 AM ET Norwich have appointed Dean Smith as manager. Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images Norwich City have appointed former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith as head coach in place of Daniel Farke, the Premier League club said on Monday. Norwich sacked Farke this month when Smith was also fired by Villa

4:40 PM ET Cristiano Ronaldo‘s hopes for the 2022 World Cup took a big blow as Serbia clinched an automatic berth to the tournament in a comeback 2-1 win over Portugal in their Group A qualifier on Sunday. A 90th-minute header by halftime substitute Aleksandar Mitrovi lifted Serbia into top spot on 20 points, three

9:48 AM ET CINCINNATI — Christian Pulisic was there. He was there for a week of hard training. He was there in the dressing room as the players gathered round. He was there as the game began to tip in the second half. He was there in front of goal. He was there in the

Nov 12, 2021 Sid LoweSpain writer Spain’s nervy, gritty 1-0 win at Greece on Thursday has put them on the cusp of a World Cup spot. Though there are still plenty of ways it could all go horribly wrong. ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images “You seem a bit worried about the pressure,” Luis Enrique said. Well,

11:34 PM ET Christian Pulisic took a dig at Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa by revealing a shirt that read “man in the mirror” after his goal in Friday’s 2-0 win in a World Cup qualifying match — a reference to Ochoa’s statements that the USMNT wants to “mirror” its soccer image after El Tri. –

11:07 PM ET Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie both scored as the United States beat Mexico 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Cincinnati, Ohio on Friday night. Pulisic put the U.S. in front minutes after coming off the bench with a glancing header and McKennie struck from close range shortly before full-time to give

1:16 AM ET CINCINNATI — The serenade rained down from the stand known as the Bailey at TQL Stadium. They words were as familiar as they were uplifting. “Dos a cero! Dos a cero!“ Yes, it was a new venue for the United States men’s national team, and the mantra was directed at a new

3:06 PM ET Defender Dani Alves has completed a shock return to Barcelona and becomes the first signing under new head coach Xavi Hernandez, the club announced on Friday. The Brazil international had been a free agent since leaving Sao Paulo in September. – Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)– Don’t have ESPN?

12:35 PM ET It’s been a decade, but David Ochoa still can picture the details of the scene in his mind. “I remember it perfectly,” said Ochoa, a 20-year-old goalkeeper for Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake. “It’s a carne asada and all my cousins are there, all my uncles and aunts are there. My

4:00 AM ET Antonio Conte may face a fight on his hands to keep Harry Kane from Manchester City — ESPN’s Insider Notebook has the latest. PLUS: How Xavi is making his mark at Barcelona already. Jump to: Xavi lays down the law | Sterling exit blocked | City’s derby destruction over United | Newcastle’s

3:51 PM ET CINCINNATI — United States men’s national team manager Gregg Berhalter says that his side still has “a long way to go” to get the respect of rivals Mexico. Speaking to reporters on a Zoom call ahead of Friday’s World Cup qualifier between the two long-time rivals (stream LIVE on ESPN2, 9 p.m.

9:30 AM ET It’s finally here! ESPN’s Battle of the Leagues, presented by EA Sports FIFA 22, began with eight teams, all-star selections representing some of the best leagues in the world, and we’re down to the final two. The French Ligue 1, defending champions from 2020 and wonderfully coached by Julien Laurens, take on

12:56 PM ET The 2021 Major League Soccer season began 209 days ago, and so much has changed since. The New England Revolution lifted their first MLS silverware with a record-setting points haul to secure the Supporters’ Shield. The Columbus Crew, last year’s MLS Cup champions, soldiered through a title hangover for much of the

5:00 PM ET Jeff Carlisle Close U.S. soccer correspondent Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Eric Gomez The games between Mexico and the United States have emerged as some of the most heated on the soccer calendar. Who can forget Rafa Marquez’s harsh red on Cobi Jones at the

5:00 AM ET The two-week international break might mean a pause for clubs, but it’s all systems go around the globe with World Cup qualifying and every continent is approaching the end of the road to Qatar 2022. Only three teams — including hosts Qatar, who qualify automatically — have already punched their tickets to

9:00 AM ET The United States and Mexico face off in World Cup qualifying this Friday at Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium (stream LIVE on ESPN2, 9 p.m. ET). Stakes and emotions are always high when these sides clash, especially after two epic summer matches in tournament finals. Will the U.S. make it three in a row

12:21 PM ET Mark Ogden Julien Laurens It’s been a long time since we’ve seen so many high-profile moves in one month, but the 2021 summer transfer window saw the game’s two best players of the modern era, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, joining new clubs. Ronaldo made a sensational return to his former club,

9:55 AM ET We’ve reached the nail-biting conclusion of the group stage in ESPN’s Battle of the Leagues, presented by EA Sports FIFA 22, and after bidding farewell to the four eliminated teams after the group stage — LaLiga, Eredivisie, Major League Soccer and Liga MX — we are ready for the semifinals. Mark Ogden’s